


Survive For Tomorrow

by MMPRPink



Series: For Tomorrow [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Terminator - All Media Types
Genre: Character Death, Gen, Not Alexsandr Kallus/Ahsoka Tano ship!, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:47:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27514828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MMPRPink/pseuds/MMPRPink
Summary: Ahsoka's life is turned upside down when she becomes the hunted.
Relationships: 501st Legion & Ahsoka Tano, Alexsandr Kallus & Ahsoka Tano
Series: For Tomorrow [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2015071
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Survive For Tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> Not much to say, other than I hope you enjoy reading this little cross-over.
> 
> Mixing Star Wars and Terminator was very interesting.
> 
> While I'm more knowledgeable on Star Wars, so to aid my lacking knowledge of Terminator, I'd like to thank a mutual of mine: SWGoji2001 who offered me advice and switching things around. With their better understanding of the Terminator franchise, they were able to help me better capture what made the first Terminator so good and a brute of force of nature. They also have better experience with capturing suspense.
> 
> In a way, they are my Beta Reader. Thanks for all your help, buddy! Even though we have the playful jab of British and American spelling. XD
> 
> Go check out their stories on FFN.net or right here on AO3. Amazing reads!
> 
> Enjoy the one-shot! :)

_“It is said that the death of any one person is the death of an entire world.”_

\- Sarah Connor (Lena Headey); _Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - Season 1; Pilot_

* * *

Legend:

_Underline/Italics: Time/Date/Scene & Year Change_

_Italics: Thoughts/Words from other characters/Communication via other means; e.g.: comlink, transmission, holo-recording, audio/footage, Force Bonds_

**Bold: Dreams/Nightmares/Flashbacks**

**_Bold/Italics: Force Ghosts speaking/Voices from Force Visions_**

* * *

Character Profile:

Ahsoka Tano (Birth Name: Ahsoka Ti):

Age: 16.5 Years

Year of Birth: 964 ARR (36 BBY)

Origin of Birth: Shilli; Expansion Region (Birth)/Coruscant; Core Region (Raised)

Familial Connections: Mother; Status: Alive, Location: Coruscant Asylum, Surname: Ti, Forename: Maya

Father; Status: Unknown, Location: Unknown, Surname: Unknown, Forename: Unknown

Position/Affiliation: Padawan Learner, Commander of the 501st Legion

*****

Alexander Kallus:

Age: 42 Years

Year of Birth: 962 ARR (38 BBY)

Origin of Birth: Coruscant; Core Region

Position/Affiliation: CLASSIFIED. ACCESS CREDENTIALS REQUIRED. ACCESS CREDENTIALS CAN BE GRANTED BY [REDACTED]

* * *

Understanding the Year Conversions:

Ruusan Reform (RR):

0 RR - Year the Ruusan Reformation was passed

1000 ARR (After Ruusan Reform) - Battle of Yavin IV

****

Before the Battle of Yavin IV (BBY):

1000 BBY - Year the Ruusan Reformation was passed

0 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin IV) - Battle of Yavin IV

* * *

_Year: 980 ARR (20 BBY)…_

_Night…_

_Time: 2200 (22:00; Coruscanti Time)…_

_Days in the Year 980 ARR (20 BBY): 0…_

( _Scene: Streets, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

Patrolling the streets of the upper levels of Coruscant, a group of four Riot Clone Troopers walked the streets ensuring no trouble or civil unrest occurred, or just typical drunken bar fights. It’s a wonder the planet of the Core Region is called ‘ _The City That Never Sleeps_ ’. They are one of several patrols on the night shift. The streets get a little more chaotic at night with civilians drinking and partying when not on the frontlines.

More often than nought, their brothers in their drunken state cause quite a ruckus and local disturbance. The group were three hours into their night shift, an hour before they halted a robbery, the thief was in custody with the Coruscant Police. However, they confiscated an undocumented weapon by the owner of the store, a rare 8-Gauge Scatter Gun, also known as the AA8 Scatter Gun, along with its ammunition. It was manufactured by Adostic Arms. The weapon was currently slung over the shoulder of the leader of the group. One of his brothers began talking about how he was looking forward to hitting the bunk, eating some food, and drinking caff. The other two began teasing him for thinking about his stomach.

As they passed an alley, they ignored the cries of a homeless drunk, until they stopped when the Head-Up Display (HUD) began to frizz in and out. Something was disturbing their feed, except it's not caused by a jammer. All four decided to remove their helmets since they are technically blind without the HUD and now have to use their own eyes. Next, they heard a sound they cannot place, it sounded like electricity, the wind began to pick up speed; even though there was no breeze. Before their very eyes, a large blue orb appeared in the alley, taking a chunk out of the ground, and as soon as it happened, the orb disappeared. Taking a chance, the patrol put their helmets back on, surprised that their HUDs are functional again. Turning on the flashlights attached to their helmet, in place of the orb, within the crater left behind by it, was a man, bare naked, no sign of clothes on him. He then stood to his full height, they placed him around six-four, he turned to them. The Riot Clones tried not to wince at the sight of a naked male, even though they have seen each other and their brothers naked in the showers. The four Riot Clones raised their shields and stun batons, the leader ordering:

“Halt! Don’t come any closer! You shall be taken in custody for social indecency! Come peacefully and we won’t have to resort to lethal force!” The naked figure got closer to them, making the Clones take cautious steps back, trying to keep their eyes above the waist. The male had blonde hair and sideburns, hazel eyes, and they do admit, has a fit physique to rival a Clone. “Last warning!” The male stopped a metre from the lead Clone. He looked up and down, tilting his head at the side. He also saw what looked like a blaster slung over the shoulder of the Clone’s fellow comrade. He turns back to the Clone in front of him.

“What year is it?” He simply asked,

“It is the year 980 ARR, now-” The Clone was cut off,

“I need your clothes, armour, and weapons.” The Clone ticked, swinging his stun baton, activating it. He struck the stranger right in the chest, but for some strange reason, he seemed unfazed. Has this stranger been conditioned to not react to pain? The blonde-haired stranger stared back at the Clone right into his eyes. As if he is staring right through the pitch-black visor. Hazel-coloured eyes boring into dark brown. “That tickled.”

The Riot Clones knew they kriffed up.

_ On the Other Side of the City… _

_ Time: 2200 (22:00; Coruscanti Time/Same time as previous event)… _

_ Days in the Year 980 ARR (20 BBY): 0… _

( _Scene: Construction Zone, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

Bright street lights shone over the incomplete construction site. It was calm, peaceful on the ground in comparison to the chaotic, bustling air traffic from above. On the ground, the civilians were going about their daily lives, enjoying the nightlife Coruscant has to offer, may it be above on the Surface or below in the Underworld. Above the well-off middle class and the wealthy drink, party, and maybe go for more erotic activities with the numerous night and strip clubs dotted around the city. Within the lower levels, cases of prostitution are rampant, not like the enforcers of the law have done much to be rid of them. For anyone looking to enjoy themselves or forget the hardships of the ongoing war with the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS), it would hardly be a crime to simply get laid with a sex slave.

A mobile trash compactor unit with a Weequay in the cockpit sat idle, engine running and the headlights of the vehicle turned on. High chances he is on night shift duty and tidying up any rubbish the construction workers and droids left behind after their shift. The lone Weequay sat idly in his seat behind the wheel, eating his sandwich. It was clear he was enjoying the tranquility. Without warning, the mobile trash compactor stopped running, the engine went and so did the headlights. The Weequay grumbled in annoyance, placing his sandwich on the dash and began turning the key in an attempt to switch on the ignition. There was a sound coming from the engine, but the ignition just refused to turn on. The driver slammed his hand against the wheel.

“Stupid piece of junk!” Then his eyes caught a flash of light. Following that was what sounded like electricity which became more apparent. He heard wind picking up, even though the weather did not forecast any wind tonight. When the electricity or lightning, in this case, became more frequent and intense, as well as the wind speed, the Weequay began to fear for his life. Fearing this unknown phenomenon, opening the door, he jumped out, fleeing from the vicinity and abandoning the vehicle. The Republic can pay for a new one for all he cares.

Nearby, where the strange occurrence was happening, a large blue orb appeared. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished, leaving behind a smoking crater. Kneeling at the centre of the crater was a lone man. He was bare naked, no sign of clothes or any covering. His light-bronze skin was for all to see if anyone was there to witness him. Standing up to his full height, the individual looked familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time. The unknown person looked exactly like the Clones of the Grand Army of the Republic, copies of the infamous Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett, designed and produced on the planet of Kamino in Wild Space; loyal to nothing but the Republic. The Clone looked around his surroundings, before spotting a patrol of Clones in red armour at the far end. That’s what he needed. Clothes, even armour.

With his single-minded focus and goal, the Clone began making his way in the general direction the patrol was walking.

_ Next Day… _

_ Morning… _

_ Time: 1130 (11:30; Coruscanti Time)… _

Canon: _Four weeks post-Trandoshan Hunt Arc; Star Wars - The Clone Wars_

( _Scene: Clone Barracks, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, the famous Hero With No Fear and General of the 501st Legion, as well as the secret husband of Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo. Anakin is now also a mentor, a teacher after having a Padawan assigned to him by the Jedi Council without informing him first! His Padawan is named Ahsoka Tano, a Togruta like Master Shaak Ti, a quick learner, feisty and above all… snippy; hence her nickname Snips after she called him Skyguy. She is given the rank of Commander, which Anakin found absurd and unfair, to throw a once fourteen, now sixteen, and a half-year-old child into a war! What is a choice? The Jedi Council decided for all the Jedi they should accept ranks as General and Commanders of the Grand Army of the Republic, to lead legions of Clone Troopers to battle. Most Jedi accept the Clones, others don’t, some outright detest Clones, Jedi like Master Rahm Kota. He is also a bit unorthodox in his approach in helping in the war, he leads a group of militia instead of Clones.

Anyhow, Anakin walked through the halls of the Clone Barracks searching for his Padawan. Again. She has been spending more time with the Clones, not that he minded, they enjoy her company; they love how she talks to them, speaks to them as equals. To her, the Clones are every much human as everyone else. The Clones are not flesh droids. Some of the troopers he passed gave a casual hello or a half-done salute. They know when he’s around, compared to other officials, the boys can be less uptight about formalities around him. Heading for the training room, which was past the Gravity Ball Room, Skywalker suddenly heard loud and insane laughter coming from said Gravity Ball Room.

“No fair! You cheated! That surely must be the Force!” Cried a trooper, which sounded like Jesse (CT-5597).

“Ha! Nope! No Force, just pure skill!” Yup. He found his Padawan. The automatic door opened with a hiss, just in time to see the losing team fall in an ungracious heap, while the winning team was gently lowered to the floor. It took all of Anakin’s self-control to not chuckle at the losing team, as he watched his Padawan high-five Ridge (Designation Number Unknown), Fives (CT/ARC-5555), Vaughan (CT-0292), and Appo (CT-1119). The men have quickly grown attached to Ahsoka, treating her like she is their vod, even vod’ika, Rex (CT-7567) has also taken time out of his schedule to teach her extra things the Jedi are not fond of. She has learned extracurricular activities such as tactical strategy, blaster arms, close-quarter combat and the art of stealth and infiltration, and slicing into hardware. After the Citadel mission, resulting in the loss of men from both his legion and Obi-wan’s, Fives still grieves for his brother Echo (CT/ARC-1409), his Padawan, and everyone else has been looking out for him since. Some Jedi have brought it to his attention that Tano has to be aware of her attachment to the Clones, Ahsoka already puts her life on the line to make sure Clone casualties are low, and it drives the 501st Clone Medic Kix (CT-6116) up the walls. His brothers laugh at him for being so uptight, Ahsoka has already had her fair share of lectures by Kix. The Togruta finally noticed him and jogged up to him. “Hey, Skyguy!”,

“Snips,” Anakin replied, smirking at the teenager. “Beating the boys again?”,

“Oh, you don’t know the half of it, General!” Jesse said in a dramatic tone. “I know she cheated!”,

“Well, Jesse… to be honest… I didn’t sense Ahsoka using the Force. At all.” Jesse’s face dropped, making his brothers laugh at the reaction. “As she said, all skill.” Anakin proceeded to chuckle himself, watching Jesse sigh as Ahsoka leapt onto his back to hug him, which shifted to a piggyback, despite her small growth spurt. A small smile crept Jesse’s lips as he muttered something in Mando'a. Ahsoka fit in with the legion very quickly and well, they all love her as a little sister, a sister they never had. After her ordeal with the Trandoshan hunters on Wasskah, the boys have been finding ways to cheer up Ahsoka, she still feels responsible for the death of one of the Younglings that were stranded on the moon before her arrival. Her name was Kalifa, the other two she managed to bring back was a Cerean named O-mer and a Twi’lek named Jinx. She wishes she could have brought Kalifa home and the nightmares don’t help her either, Soka can barely sleep without having the light on, or he’s in the room with her, otherwise, she’s in a snuggle pile with the boys. The men of the 501st are doing their best to distract her from the trauma of being hunted by those karking lizards. If Anakin had his way, he would slaughter them the same way he slaughtered the Tusken camp.

Other than Rex and Jesse, Fives has been going out his way the most looking out for the Togruta. He is doing it in return for his Commander looking out for him in his lowest moment as he struggled with Echo’s death. Fives was bitter that Echo never got a proper burial, when Master Even Piell received the traditional Jedi burial rites and Commander Tano was there for him. Everyone was so worried when they realised Ahsoka vanished during their assault on Felucia. The boys were close to breaking protocol to conduct their own search for their sister, Cody (CC-2224) had to calm Rex down and Anakin himself tried his best to keep the boys in check, while he was stressed. Anyway, Ahsoka is back. She is alive. That is all that matters. Anakin noticed his comlink blinking, it must mean another meeting is due. Rolling his eyes and happy to know his Padawan is safe with the legion, the General said goodbye and ran off before he ended up late. Ahsoka and the boys watched as Skywalker left the room, it must be an emergency meeting or he is running out to meet Senator Amidala. Everyone, even Ahsoka knows, Anakin and Padmé are not subtle, they’re either going out with each other or they are married. There has been a betting pool going around and Tano bet a considerable amount of her hard-earned credits. She then saw Fives sling his arm over her shoulder after Jesse put her down.

“Well then. Any plans for Life Day, Kid?” He asked,

“What?” Replied Ahsoka, confused, and raised an eye marking. Then she copped on. “Hold on, it’s long past my Life Day! There’s no point in celebrating it.”,

“It’s never too late to celebrate.” Appo joined in, giving a cheeky grin. “A trip to Seventy-nines is in order and free drinks if we tell the bartender it’s your Life Day.”,

“TROOPER!!!” Rex screeched, his voice reaching an octave higher than normal. His eyes are nearly popping out of their sockets. “The General will skin us alive if he finds out!” Then the Commander gave the Captain a smirk that would make him uncomfortable. A face like that normally means something stupid is inbound. Rex does not get paid enough in caff and sleep for this bantha shit. Fives, Appo, and Jesse are terrible influences on the Commander. He wouldn’t be surprised if they plan to teach her how to hold her liquor.

“What better place to have my belated Life Day party? I won’t say no to free drinks.” The Clones present in the room all cheered, whooped, and hollered in excitement, far too loud for Rex’s ears. “Besides, what Skyguy doesn’t know won’t worry him.”,

“He’ll worry when he sees me carrying your drunk shebs up the temple steps!”,

“That’s why I’ll be sleeping off the alcohol in the barracks. See? Foolproof.” There was the shit-eating grin. Either Rex is going to regret this or he is ageing faster than his accelerated ageing because it is not his duty to babysit! The General will eat him alive if he finds out Tano has a hangover the next morning. Not just his General, but General Kenobi and General Plo! They’ll strangle him! Cody (CC-2224) will never let him love it down! “Ease up, Rexster. Sometimes, I swear you act like my dad more so than a brother.” Everyone in the room laughed at the Commander’s statement as Rex sputtered like a broken down speeder engine. Damn that kid's sharp tongue!

_ Meanwhile… _

_ Time: 1130 (11:30; Coruscanti Time/Same Time as Previous Event)… _

_ Days in the Year 980 ARR (20 BBY): 0.5625… _

( _Scene: Alamo Blasters, Weapons Store, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

“That GLX Firelance.” The store owner placed the blaster rifle on the counter.

“Also known as the SoroSuub Firelance, manufactured by SoroSuub Corporations. The clip holds enough Tibanna Gas for fifty shots, an automatic firing mode, and a close-range stun setting as a bonus. It’s a best friend for any freelance law enforcement officials.”,

“The DH-17 Blaster Pistol.” Another blaster on the counter.

“Sound choice. A semi-automatic, modifiable for short bursts, and enough power for five-hundred rounds. The pistol is best used at a range of thirty metres, can be used at one-hundred and twenty, but its accuracy does decrease. The bolts are armour-piercing, built-in stun mode as well. It can be set to fully automatic as well, so it’s a completely flexible blaster.”,

“Model 434 DeathHammer, with the laser sight.” The pistol was set before the customer, which was quickly picked up for examination. The weapons expert gave a rundown of the blaster.

“Sharp eye, mate. This is just new, Merr-Sonn Munitions Inc. has decided to make the blaster modifiable. It used to just have a scope, but the laser sight is a new attachment. She clocks in at fifty rounds. Just stick the Tibanna magazine, release the safety, aim, and shoot. You’ll never miss.” Then he realised one more weapon caught the customer’s eye.

“The Scatter Gun.” The owner whistled as he pulled the firearm from the display. Again, it was taken to be examined.

“Man, you are lucky. This is my last one, this weapon is no blaster. It’s a slugthrower, a ballistic, double-barrel. You don’t see many of those with blaster arms now. Unlike Tibanna Gas, you slot the slugs into the magazines, pop it in, lock and load, she’s ready to go.” There was a slightly nervous chuckle, “However, she falls shorts on the clip size. You’ll only have four shots before having to punch a fresh clip, but what she makes up for in lack of shots, she makes up in power. Woo wee! That beauty will tear right through you, even those warrior monks won’t stop it! Good compensation if you ask me.” Four blasters on the table. One blaster rifle model - fully automatic, two pistols - one semi-auto with a full-auto mode and a heavy pistol type, and a rare slugthrower. “It’s not my business… I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re a bounty hunter or a mercenary. You know your weapons.” The store owner laughed tensely. “I’m amazed you willingly deserted the GAR! Might want to drop the armour. I’ve heard rumours of your kind having your minds wiped clean.” He then cleared his throat. “Look man, this is an insane amount of credits you are splashing. Do you have credits?” The Clone tilts his head to the side, almost as if he is confused by the term.

“What are credits?” The store owner let out a surprised scoff. What person in the galaxy doesn’t know what a credit is!? It’s the Coruscanti currency of the heart of the Galactic Republic! Is this Clone thick!? “I do not understand.” The man behind the counter grew agitated. 

“Whoopty shit, mate! You Clones have a sense of humour, after all. I need you to pay me money! Those four blasters together are fifty-four-hundred Republic Credits. No money, no sale! So beat it, sleemo!” There was a moment’s silence as the store owner turned around, only for his ears to pick up sound and he turned again. The keeper of the store stared at his customer completely baffled as he watched him LOAD the Scatter Gun right in front of him! That is not allowed! So he did what any store owner would do: stop the customer. “Hey! You can’t do that!” Unprovoked, the customer turned the shotgun on him and simply answered:

“Wrong.” The shotgun went off, killing the owner of the weapons store. Now, to figure out where the rest of the ammunition is located.

_ Elsewhere… _

_ Time: 1315 (13:15; Coruscanti Time)… _

( _Scene: Meeting Room, Coruscant Asylum, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

_“The Senate is blind. So blind and stupid!”_ , 

_“Why did you attempt a bombing on the Senate Building? You were after one man: Senator Sheev Palpatine of Naboo. Why him?”_ ,

 _“He’s the reason everything ends. He is the catalyst. The blockade, the Clone Army, the war! He was orchestrating it all! He is the conductor! Palpatine brings Skynet to life!”_ ,

 _“War? What war? What Clones? Skynet? Maya, what are you talking about?”_ ,

 _“I know the day it happens!”_ ,

 _“I’m sure you do.”_ ,

 _“The one-thousandth and eighty-ninth day of the Clone Wars! It starts with Order Sixty-six! Then Skynet takes over ALL computer-based machines and networks! It’s not a dream, you di’kut! It’s gonna feel karking real to you too! You think you’re safe and alive?”_ ,

 _“Maya Ti! I order you to calm down!”_ ,

 _“You’re already dead! Everybody! Him, you, you’re already dead! This whole planet? This whole galaxy? Everything you see is gone! You’re the one living a karking dream, Tarkin!”_ ,

 _“That’s enough!”_ ,

 _“BECAUSE I KNOW IT HAPPENS!”_ ,

_“GUARDS SEDATE HER NOW!”,_

_“IT HAPPENS!”_ Tarkin sits back in his chair, after re-watching the holo-footage of the interrogation with Maya Ti back in 968 ARR. She kept a child hidden in a safe house on the planet, details were redacted, not that the details mattered to him. The Coruscant Police raided said safe house and found the child inside, a Togruta toddler, four years old. Then the Jedi came, Master Jedi Plo Koon and Shaak Ti. Tarkin didn’t think much of the surname then, they took the child, saying something about her being Force-sensitive and all that Jedi bantha shit. What interested the Captain was the nonsense this terrorist was spouting, something about a man with a machine body, killer cyborgs, the end of the galaxy. Judgement Day, what is Judgement Day? What is Skynet? All these statements are the literal ravings of a crazy lunatic. This woman is a mother! Her child is a predestined leader to rally people against the machines? Tarkin calls it a load of bantha poodoo. The straight facts are: Maya Ti is crazy and deserves to be locked up in this mental asylum. Questions surrounding the father are a mystery. There are no records of him, who he is, what he is, or where he lived. It’s like he never existed, but someone went and got this Togruta pregnant. This case is quite the enigma, even the brightest of the Coruscant Police and the Coruscant Guard couldn’t get Maya Ti to talk sense. Tarkin merely smirked as he got off his chair to attend GAR duties and leave this shit hole place.

_“End of the galaxy my ass.”_ He thought.

_ A Couple of Hours Later… _

_ Time: 1820 (18:20; Coruscanti Time)… _

( _Scene: Ahsoka's Room, Living Quarters, Jedi Temple, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

Ahsoka sighed as she stared at her assignment in a bored manner. It was a history essay on the Ruusan Reformation. Before she left for the temple to get herself ready for her belated Life Day, as if the essay was a way to kill time and make Anakin, along with Obi-wan think she is studying; Jesse and Fives devised a plan to sneak her out of the temple. In general, Clones are not permitted within temple grounds, unless it was with reason. She only knows a part of Jesse and Fives’ plan, something about giving her a signal when the coast is clear. She is doing this behind Anakin’s back, usually, she would need his permission to leave the boundaries of the temple, but she's sixteen and a half, so kriff it for the night, she wants to have some fun. Experience what it is like to be a somewhat normal teenage Togruta. She is not being a Jedi nor a soldier tonight. Just before Anakin left, as Tano bet, he’s going off to see Padmé, he left her some credits if she’s hungry and wants takeout. The unconventional duo lost count of how many times the Jedi scolded them for ordering such food, they say it’s unhealthy and it is why there is a cafeteria within the temple. While the food is good, organically grown by the AgriCorps, Ahsoka and Anakin get cravings for high calorie, greasy takeout. The few Jedi they know who would get amusement out of it are Obi-wan, who on occasion would join them for takeout, Master Plo and Ti. Master Kit Fisto has been seen to crack his infectious smile now and then. Otherwise, some members of the Council don’t approve of what they do or their way of thinking.

Typing another few lines into her datapad, ensuring to put in the correct citations. Some interesting papers she has found were written by Korin Aphra, a scholar who mostly dedicated his life, and continues to, researching an ancient lost order known as the Ordu Aspectu. They are seemingly a forgotten group of spiritual followers who vanished out of nowhere a little over a millennia ago, roughly 0 RR, the introduction of the Ruusan Reformation, during the era of the Old Republic. Another mysterious group or civilisation that seemed to have vanished or brought upon their own extinction, just like the Zeffo, a species originating from the planet of the same name. Another bit of side reading, Tano did if she was surprisingly bored and couldn’t sneak out to go to the barracks. Ahsoka was suddenly taken out of her thoughts when she saw her comlink flash. A smile beamed on her face, it was Fives and Jesse. That must be the signal. The Togruta grabbed the dark brown leather jacket that Anakin and Padmé gifted her for her Life Day last year. If she’s not wearing her Jedi cloak, she’s wearing this to feel… more normal. She then stuffed the one-hundred and fifty credits Anakin gave her into the pocket, shut off her datapad, and exited the room. Of course, her lightsabers never leave her side. Ahsoka needs something to defend herself with and Anakin will lecture her if she doesn’t keep her sabres on hand.

The Jedi Padawan began to navigate her way through the temple, making sure she was shielding her Force signature. The last thing she wants is to be caught sneaking out before she can even get to Fives and Jesse. It’s a good thing they and Rex taught her how to infiltrate, the art of sneaking in and out. If she can get in, she can get out and she knows some handy little side routes from her time as a mischievous Youngling. After being brought into the temple as a four-year-old, 968 ARR, she always tired out the crèche masters due to her endless energy as a Togruta toddler. On more than a few occasions, they had to contact Master Plo or Shaak Ti to help expel her energy.

Getting her mind back on track after having to detour up a flight of stairs to dodge a pair of Temple Guards on patrol, Ahsoka knew she’ll have to jump down from above her friends. There’s a room with a vent large enough for her to fit in and crawl out of the temple. She mentally groaned, not liking the idea of scraping her jacket, but it’s either back down the original path and more sneaking or the more direct route through the air vents. Ahsoka chooses the latter.

_ Outside… _

Fives rolled his eyes as Jesse paces the ground of the temple as they wait for the Commander. They are hiding behind a pillar since they can’t afford to be spotted. They want the Commander to enjoy her night out, her original Life Day was four weeks ago, during the time the Trandoshans took her. They’ll never forget the look on the General’s face. He was seething that Tano had gone missing during the mission on Felucia. They can thank the Little Gods the extra training they gave her, along with Skywalker’s, was enough to help her survive the thought of being hunted for sport. Jesse checked his chrono again, the Little One shouldn’t be this long. What if she got caught sneaking out!? The General will put them on latrine duty for the rest of the rotation! Jesse doesn’t want to be on latrine duty! The thought of cleaning the refreshers disgusted him.

“Hey, boys!” The two Clones practically squeaked, jumping in the air and spun around. There was Commander Tano, wearing her usual attire, the only difference being the brown leather jacket, and giving her famous shit-eating grin. “Aw, did I scare you both?” She teased,

“Ne’johaa, vod’ika!” Fives quipped back at her, making Tano stick her tongue out playfully.

“Kar’taylir darasuum gar, vod.” Tano replied in Mando’a. Fives simply rolled his eyes as Jesse chuckled at him. “Come on! Let’s not keep the others waiting!” And the trio made their way down the temple steps.

It was about twenty minutes by the time they reached the final step, Ahsoka was very much excited to spend time with the boys and have drinks with them, much to Rex’s concern. Jesse kept poking at her asking where she got the jacket and that the dark brown colour complimented well against her orange skin. This prompted Fives to jokingly say he was flirting with the Commander, which is technically fornication between two military figures and that is against GAR regulations. This left Jesse choking on air, then smacking Fives across the head, making Ahsoka laugh. Unbeknownst to the three of them, there was a figure watching them from the distance, following them. As the two troopers playfully argued with one another, Ahsoka got a strange feeling through the Force and she looked back, but there was nothing behind them. Odd. Shrugging the feeling off, Tano and her older brothers set off for Seventy-nines and have a night of fun, drinking, talking, and dancing.

_ One Hour Later… _

_ Time: 1940 (19:40; Coruscanti Time)… _

( _Scene: Seventy-nines, Entertainment District, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

Music boomed the one and only Clone-only bar on the planet of Coruscant: Seventy-nines. It’s a relatively new bar and has been open for a few months now, but business for it is already spilling over with Clones and non-Clone customers coming in for a few pints. Clone Troopers from various legions from the 41st Elite Corps, to the Clone Marines, the 104th, any legion that is on leave from the frontline. Various activities occurred inside between talking, laughing, drinking, and dancing, Clones flirting with females to bring back with them and warm their beds. Ahsoka Tano sat between an overprotective Captain Rex and a very much chill Jesse. After Fives and him snuck Ahsoka out of the Jedi Temple, with Anakin under the impression she is ‘ _studying_ ’, Rex is having second thoughts because he cannot lie for a single Republic credit! If the General finds out, they are going to be worse than grounded, worse if he finds out Ahsoka was trying her first alcoholic beverage! There was a gentle clatter as a tray with an assortment of drinks lay in front of them, courtesy of Fives, as he happily announced these are on the house, with thanks to being the Commander’s Life Day. Rex was grumbling to himself, keeping an eye in case any trouble occurs or some creep gets the wrong idea. The Captain is adamant he isn’t drinking, someone needs to make sure the Commander gets back to the Temple or the barracks sober, but if she wants to experience a hangover, that's her problem. As much as he loves his vod’ika. She will also be Kix and Coric’s (CS-4343) problem.

Rex watched as Ahsoka was handed a drink, some kind of colour he couldn’t place and it was hard to see with the flashing lights. The blonde-haired Clone advised to drink slowly, but she just rolled her eyes and. Downed. The. Shot. Without coughing it up! Even Fives’ eyes bulged in surprise, while Jesse went into a roar of laughter. Ahsoka confessed she hung out with Jesse and… Hardcase (Designation Number Unknown) - before his passing on Umbara - that they taught her how to hold her drink when she visited the barracks. Rex was on the verge of screeching like a Shriek-Hawk. Since Fives only got her a shot, he went back to get his Commander a beer, which should last longer. Ahsoka was grinning as she listened to Rexster chewing Jesse out with a lecture for teaching her how to drink. Fives returned, placing the pint of beer in front of her and then taking his seat beside young Tup (CT-5385) when suddenly this strange feeling came over her. Tano’s eyes scanned the room and she locked onto a lone man sitting several feet away from her. He was sitting far enough and at a good vantage point, so he could… watch her? Is that the guy who was following her, Jesse and Fives to Seventy-nines!? She knew she sensed something strange. Was that who the Force was trying to tell her about? He was wearing Coruscant Clone armour, since when did the Guard have a natural-born in their ranks? Tano knows the Chancellor has the blue-armoured Senate Guards protecting him and they’re all natural-born. The helmet was resting on the table. Every single muscle, tendon, and ligament in her body became tense and uncomfortable, maybe the war is making her paranoid, especially after being captured by Trandoshans. That was four weeks ago now. Her mind is playing tricks on her and the boys went out of their way to celebrate her Life Day, late or not. Her paranoia is not going to ruin this. Yet she can’t help but feel to mention it to Rex and the others. The stranger’s staring is making her uncomfortable, and the boys will not hesitate to send him running. Ahsoka gently taps Rex’s chest plate, he looks down at her, concerned, only slightly. Ahsoka voices her concern.

“Rex, that man over there is staring at me.” She points in the general direction she saw him, the Captain looks over through the crowd, but he sees no one. There isn’t a man staring at her. Rex was frowning to himself, his eyebrows furrowing. It’s suspicious enough to warrant alertness, but no one is there. He turns back to her.

“There’s no one there, Kid.” Ahsoka looked at Rex, aghast, turning sharply to the stranger’s last known location. He was right, no one was there. The nat-born Coruscant Guard is gone. He simply… vanished and melted into the crowd or maybe she is being paranoid. “I get you’re being jumpy. Don’t worry, we’ll keep eyes and ears open. Just enjoy the night, Little One.” The Commander sighed. Rex is right, the boys put a lot of effort into a night out. She is going to enjoy tonight, be a normal teenager, and ensure Anakin doesn’t find out to avoid punishment in the archives.

“You’re right, Rexster.” Tano smiled, “Fives! Get me another beer!” Fives happily gave her the thumbs up and left his seat by Tup to head to the bar counter. Rex was more unsure and tried to intervene. He’s seen the Commander when she’s happy, sad, angry, withdrawn, and everything in between. Though he does not want the image of a drunk, hungover Commander Ahsoka ingrained into his head! Let alone how being intoxicated affects her being a Togruta! Would she be even more predatory than she normally is?

“Uh… Commander… finish your first-” He never finished his sentence. Rex just sighed as Tano downed her first beer as an excuse for Fives to get her a second. Which he has happily left to get and it wouldn’t surprise Rex if the ARC Trooper is smirking about it. This will be a long night for the Captain.

_ A Few Hours Later… _

_ Time: 0000 (00:00; Coruscanti Time)… _

Time flew quickly and with a blur. It was without a doubt nearing midnight Coruscanti time. Rex ordered some of the more sober men to help the drunk boys of the 501st go back to the barracks. Jesse left after flirting with a single Twi’lek and vanished off, no doubt to get laid. Kix and Coric said their goodbyes earlier, deciding to need an early night with their manic shifts as medics; and to prepare for hangover morning. This left Ahsoka with Rex, Tup, Fives, Ridge, Vaughan, and a few other members of Torrent Company. At the moment, she was left on her own at the table, the boys badly needed to answer nature’s call. Ahsoka stopped drinking after her third beer, she had a comfortable buzz in her head and montrals, but she can still stand, still use the Force, and most importantly, still fight if provoked. As Tano waited for Rex and the others to return from their bathroom break, her eyes laid on the strange, blonde-haired male wearing Clone armour. It’s him again! After he avoided Rex’s line of sight! Why is he watching her? Stalking almost? That was when another thing caught her attention, turning away from the blonde male.

Gazing out over the crowd at Seventy-nines, Ahsoka did a double-take as she noticed a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Dark-brown eyes burned with intensity into blue and the Force screamed in warning. The strange man’s eyes darted to the side and widened with fear. Turning her head, Ahsoka noticed a Clone Trooper, armour painted in red, a Coruscant Guard as well, shoving his way through the crowd of Clones and civilians towards her. Helmet off, the Clone pulled out a 434 DeathHammer with a laser sight attached, the barrel pointed at her head. All of Ahsoka’s muscles locked as she stared directly into the red light of the laser… she couldn’t move! What is he doing!? Her body screamed to move. The Force screamed at her to move. Run. She couldn’t. Shock. Confusion. The whine of the blaster mixed with a meaty roar of thunder and a blaster bolt burned the air next to her left montral as Ahsoka fell out of her chair onto the ground. The Clone turned to face some new threat and Ahsoka’s montrals rang as the roar sounded again… _BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!_ Four shots to the chest and the Clone collapsed to the ground, his armour’s chest plate pitted and smoking.

Seventy-nines erupted into a cacophony of screams and shrieks as off-duty Clones and civilians ran towards the exit. The Clone jerked and got back to his feet, pulling out a DH-17 blaster and unleashing it on full auto at whoever had fired at him. The other weapon boomed once, joined by the sound of glasses shattering to shards in the firefight, as Ahsoka got to her feet as well and tried to lose herself in the crowd racing for the exit. The Commander was almost to the exit until someone screamed and fell into her from behind, a human woman with a smoking blaster wound in her back, knocking Ahsoka to the ground with a sharp grunt from the impact. She flipped onto her back and saw the Clone looming towards her, slapping a new power pack home into his DH-17. The sheer fear and panic that gripped Ahsoka made the simplest thing like pushing the dead female civilian off her impossible. She learned to fight in a war, Ahsoka has plenty of fears, but the fear that has a hold on her is a different kind of fear. The Clone pointed the blaster down, right at her face. Her heart rate and breathing slowed, time seemed to slow. Ahsoka was doomed.

Suddenly the Clone jerked as the meaty roar tore through the air once again, booming five times in quick succession, blowing the Clone out of Seventy-nines’ through a window. A firm hand caught her by the arm. She turned, it was the man that was staring at her. The one who shot the Clone with… he was armed with a primitive-looking slugthrower, it appears to be an 8-Gauge Scatter Gun. Rare to come by, it won’t surprise her if he got it off the black market. Ahsoka opened her mouth to speak, but no words came, she just stared in horror at the dead Clone that was thrown out the window from the impact of the slugthrower.

“Come with me, if you want to live!” He simply told her. Wait, what? Hearing movement, Ahsoka turned as she watched the trooper who was shot in the chest, rise from the ground outside. His blank, stoic face somehow giving off a murderous intent. How!? HOW!? He should be dead! “Come on!” The unnamed man urged as he pulled her to her feet, not letting go of her arm. Then she heard more voices yelling somehow over the panic being that Seventy-nines is in chaos! With people running, Clones trying to get their heads together, brothers screamed as they fell and tripping over one another, innocent civilians included!

“COMMANDER!” It was Rex, who had his DC-17 unholstered and tried to break through the crowd to get to her. With the same intensive glare, Rex was shoving civilians and fellow off-duty brothers to the side to get to his Commander, as the remaining members of Torrent; being Ridge, Fives, Tup, and Vaughan, were trying to reach her too. Ahsoka’s arm was tugged sharply as the stranger who seemed to have saved her began leading her towards the backdoor of Seventy-nines. The door leads to a back alley. Rex’s sight was locked onto the blonde-haired male with sideburns, he was taking Ahsoka! He won’t let her! “SLEEMO! I WON’T LET YOU TAKE HER! AHSOKA!” By the time he reached her previous location, quickly realising she attempted to escape via the front door and blending herself into the crowd, the 501st Captain felt himself being suddenly lifted by the neck and thrown across the room! His head collided with a table, knocking him out cold. It was the last thing Ahsoka saw.

“REX!” She cried, now trying to resist the steel grip on her arm to help her friends. They are going to die in there! However, the mysterious male was not having it and he yanked her back.

“MOVE! HE’S ALREADY DEAD!” It was callous and a cold thing to say to her, but Ahsoka couldn’t resist after being pulled out into the alley by his iron grip. The door was slammed shut and barricaded by a metal chair, propped against the handle. All she heard from within the bar was the sound of agonising screams, plasma bolts discharging, and more glass breaking. Ahsoka no longer felt the male’s hold on her arm, but he was shoving her forward, an indicator to keep running. They heard the door fly off its hinges, the chair smacking against the wall and the Coruscant Guard burst out, looking to its right, before gazing left. He had him in his sight, he began to run full speed at them. Being tapped again, Ahsoka didn’t need to be told twice to sprint, as she heard the slugthrower being reloaded. She hopes her rescuer has an escape plan and when they are safe, he’ll explain what the kriffing Sith Hell is going on! As they raced through the alley with the Clone hot on their tail, Ahsoka saw ahead what looked to be a Coruscant Speeder. Its dome-like glass canopy is open. She is not going to ask if this was stolen or not, honestly, with some Clone trying to kill her for an unknown reason, that is the last question to ask. The unnamed man made her sit into the speeder, as he knelt down, aiming the AA8 at another speeder parked a metre from them. He steadied his aim, aiming for what seemed to be the repulsor. She heard the trigger, the same meaty roar, and the lead buckshot flew through the air and it struck home. The Clone ran right into the explosion that was caused. Surely that would kill him now! The unidentified man jumped into the driver’s seat and switched on the ignition after lowering the glass dome to protect them. _CLANG!_ They both looked forward, the Clone survived the blast! He hopped over the burning speeder as if the flames didn’t bother him! Ahsoka thought this was ridiculous! Clones are hardy troops, but not that hardy! Just as the reverse was hit, the Coruscant Guard leapt. The jump was timed well, as he landed on the front of the speeder, not comprehending the armour clattering around him. He reared his fist and punched right through the glass! Making Ahsoka flinch and she screamed when he grabbed her jacket and was actively trying to pull her out of the speeder.

The speeder made a sharp left reverse, the side crashing into another parked vehicle. The momentum of the collision sent the pursuer flying off the front of their escape vehicle, crashing to the ground. By pure chance, right behind them as the accelerator was pushed to maximum and the repulsor lift engines doing their job, a Coruscant Police Officer saw the whole spectacle. He was taken aback by what he witnessed and his first instincts were to call for backup for the pursuit of the dangerous driver. The officer turned on his comlink and spoke into it, staring at the general direction the speeder went.

“This is One-Lima-Nineteen! I got a hit and run felony. A suspect vehicle, a grey Coruscant speeder heading westbound! He’s really moving! Eighty-seven Knots all the way!” Unknown to the officer, the Clone that was laying on the ground, armour scraped, blackened, and dented, holes and all, slowly got up. His eyes laid on the police speeder where the officer stood. He has a vehicle to give chase. When he got to his feet, the trooper stealthily approached the unsuspecting officer, keeping his footsteps quiet. “I’m going to need a medical speeder, right now!” He then turned around, surprised to see a GAR trooper standing looking as if the fall to the ground didn’t hurt him! Before he could retaliate, the Coruscant Guard Trooper caught the police officer by his head and smacked him hard against his speeder. The impact knocked him out cold. The soldier stepped in, he lost his DeathHammer and the DH-17 during the firefight, yet, to his luck, he found a replacement weapon: an SS-410 Police Special Blaster Pistol. They are normally wielded by GU-series ‘ _Guardian_ ’ Police Droids, but this officer happened to have one. The Clone placed it on the dashboard of the speeder. Looking at the controls, he switched on the Police Speeder, turning on the engine, put it in reverse, and he gave chase to catch up to his target before he lost the trail.

_ Meanwhile, with Ahsoka and her Rescuer… _

( _Scene: Air Lanes of Coruscant, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

Ahsoka was staring blankly out the window, trying to get her thoughts together, as she silently said the Mandalorian remembrance rite for the dead. She was just so confused. Why did that Clone try to kill her? Why did he not die after being shot a total of nine times in the chest!? What is going on!? The skyscrapers blurred, Tano didn’t even process the sounds of beeping and honking air traffic of annoyed drivers. The stranger was heading for the centre of the city, the main point of access to the Underworld. Then what? He gets his pay and hands her to the enemy? The mystery man who has either saved her and/or kidnapped her was concentrating on getting them below the surface, there’s no better place to hide. Her rescuer was looking in the centre mirror now and then to ensure no one was chasing them or THAT. He took moments to glance over at the Togruta he was sent back to meet. He took another sharp turn, telling her to ‘ _hold on_ ’. Still, no response as he made the turn, moving into a minor air lane and back onto a major lane once more. His steering was chaotic, to Ahsoka may be even more chaotic than Anakin’s, which says something! He swerved between speeders, skipping between lanes. He spoke to her again.

“Are you injured?” His voice was clipped and sounded like he served in the military. “Are you shot!?” When Ahsoka finally pulled herself together, her instincts kicked in. She was being chased, someone was attempting to kidnap her! Her first thoughts are to jump, she can survive the fall! She fumbled in her seat, trying to reach for the release to open the window canopy, but the unnamed driver stopped her with his left arm. He got stern with her. “Do exactly as I say! EXACTLY!” He emphasised, “Don’t move unless I say! Don’t make a sound, unless I say! Do you understand?” He stared hard at her, less intense than the Clone who tried to kill her, but there is a sense of urgency in his eyes as he multitasked in driving the speeder and not crash. There was no response from the Togruta as she tried to even her breathing using exercises Obi-wan taught her. “DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?” The man yelled. His voice made Ahsoka flinch again, nodding hastily, fear clear in her eyes. He couldn’t hurt her, he wasn't trying to hurt her, yes she is scared and confused. If she wants to survive, she has to stay with him. There was another sharp swerve to the left as a speeder honked at them in anger. He finally decided to prove now that he is trying to save her and not kidnap her, which is probably what she is thinking.

“I’m here to help you.” To Soka, this is some help she is getting. “I’m Kallus.” Finally, she has a name for him and it sounds like his surname, not his first name. “Third-in-Command of the Resistance and Second-in-Command of Phoenix Squadron, assigned to protect you! You’ve been targeted for termination!” That made Ahsoka’s eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets.

“I’M WHAT!?” Screamed Ahsoka, now thinking this man, Kallus, who claims to be protecting her, is off his head! Plus, she could write a ten-page or more list of those who would wish to kill her! Kallus didn’t bother responding, instead of focusing on driving hastily through the bustling Coruscant air traffic. On Ahsoka’s end… her day could not get any better!

_ With the Clone… _

On the far end of the air traffic lane, the Clone Trooper was keeping a close eye for his target, and the speeder he last saw her in. The communication system in the Police Speeder he was driving was going off, meaning reinforcements are on the way to intercept. Well knowing no response would arouse suspicion, he took the comlink and spoke, in the same voice of the original occupant.

“This is One-Lima-Nineteen, westbound, and approaching overhead.” He continued with his search after putting away the comlink.

_ Back with Ahsoka and Kallus… _

Ahsoka was back at square one again in trying to process her thoughts. She’s been targeted for termination!? That Clone was hired to kill her!? Why? Why is she such a threat? Anakin and Obi-wan are enemy number one in the war! Why her? All she can think of is that if she is not going to freak out, just yet, Anakin certainly will! He freaks out like a Krayt Dragon! Four weeks after the Trandoshans and now she’s being hunted again! This is ridiculous!

“This is a mistake!” She said loud enough for Kallus to hear her. “I didn’t do anything!” Maybe other than being a pain in the backside for the Separatists and some bounty hunters. Perhaps someone paid the Coruscant Guard Trooper a fair amount of credits to go after her. For all she knows, from what Rex told her, the Guard has their own Slick (Designation Number Unknown) running around.

“No,” Kallus answered, “But you will. It’s very important that you live.” He says it like a state of fact. Tano was in denial.

“This isn’t true!” She remembered the Clone who got up after being shot possibly more than four consecutive times! He should be dead! More than dead! “How can that Clone just get up after you-” Kallus interrupted her,

“It’s not a Clone or even a man!” The soldier revealed, “It’s a machine! A Terminator. Cyberdyne Systems Model Four-One-Seven. It’s an 800-series or simply T-800.” Kallus steered the speeder to take an exit off the main air lane, the engines screeching in exertion and a sharp left turn once more. Ahsoka stared at him in confusion.

“A… a machine!? Like those Separatist Battle Droids?” Surely that ‘ _Terminator_ ’ can be destroyed! Why are they running? Her lightsaber will slice it in half! A well-placed plasma bolt will put it out of commission! Kallus corrected her once more.

“Not like the Battle Droids, a cyborg. Cybernetic organism.” To Tano, that is almost impossible technology! They’re advanced but… can they achieve cybernetic organisms!? Plus, she was certain that Clone was bleeding! She saw blood! Red blood, the same blood as all his brothers! Same heart, same blood! Then a Police Speeder appeared to his left, an attempt to intercept. He needs to shake him off and ordered: “Get your head down!” And he proceeded to ram the speeder into the police officer’s vehicle, knocking it off course into a Traffic Droid, only for them to be joined by a second one to take over the one he took out. The sirens were blaring in the air. With a screech of the engines, Kallus veered right, his face focused and determined to lose the speeder. A sharp left once more. It was a narrow lane between the skyscraper buildings Ahsoka is unsure of. The Police Speeder was still on their tail, only for Kallus to brake suddenly, jerking Tano forward, then back into the seat, repulsor lifts were still on, to ensure they remained in the air. The officer had no choice but to break to a halt, his speeder positioning itself horizontally, now trapped. Kallus turned on the ignition again and reversed, smashing the rear end of the speeder into the officer, putting it out of action. Satisfied, he flew the speeder forward, content they won’t be pursued. Kallus sped through the air lanes, finding another turn to take which led to what appeared to be a large landing platform with more speeders parked on it. He lowered the speeder down to the park and he began to explain more in-depth about the Terminator model. “The Terminator is an infiltration unit, part man, part machine. Underneath it is a hyper alloy combat chassis, microprocessor-controlled, and fully armoured. They are lined with a layer of Cortosis Metal, lightsaber strikes won’t slice it. Very tough.” Kallus landed the speeder next to another one. They have a moment to take a breather before needing to move again. With a Terminator out there on the loose, you can’t stay in one place. It is too dangerous. “But outside, it’s living tissue. Flesh, skin, hair… blood. Grown for cyborgs.”,

“Look, Kallus,” Ahsoka voiced, “I know you want to help but-” She was interrupted mid-sentence,

“Pay attention! The previous model was a 600-series, had rubber skin. We spotted them easy, but these are new. They look human, sweat, bad breath, everything. Very hard to spot.” Kallus explained, “I had to wait till he moved in on you before I could zero in on him.” The sixteen-and-a-half year old, going on seventeen, was still in denial. She was in denial about everything. This is like some sort of bad dream to her. There is still no way this sort of technology is achievable!

“I’m not stupid, y’know, mister.” Tano snipped, making Kallus roll his eyes. He’s not exactly surprised to hear this snippiness, his General did tell him she is a different person in this period. She isn’t the fearless and collected leader of the Resistance, the person who inspires people and alien species to fight for their survival. To take back what was theirs. She isn’t the type of person, yet, who would lead her rebels to storm a machine concentration camp to release the innocent and burn down the mother kriffing facility. He is trying to protect her teenage self so she would be around to lead the resistance. The resistance will not exist without her! “They can’t build anything like that yet and I’ve seen plenty of droids gradually advance. Not to this level!”,

“You’ll eat those words in about a year.” The fellow Commander said grimly. He knows the year the Cyberdyne AI, Skynet begins its resistance, its takeover. The one-thousandth and eighty-ninth day of the Clone Wars, 981 ARR, when Order 66 was issued by the Supreme Chancellor. Amid the chaos as Jedi die and fall by their troops, Skynet rises and bombards the planets with heavy lasers. The headquarters of Cyberdyne eluded Kallus and many members of the Resistance, it wasn’t until near the end of the war in 1004 ARR his General found the location and launched a full-on assault, the heart of Skynet. “Time to ditch the speeder!” He motions to another airspeeder, it was a different model: an XJ-6 Airspeeder. They both jumped in. Ahsoka taking the passenger seat on the left, Kallus sitting to her right.

“Kallus!” Whispered Tano, as he busied himself with smashing open the ignition assembly since the owner left with the keys. “Please! I need to return to Anakin and my men! They’ll be worried!” She is still not getting it! With the Terminator out there, no one can be trusted!

“Listen! Understand! That Terminator is out there!” He said to her, “It can’t be bargained with, it can’t be reasoned with! It doesn’t feel pity or remorse or fear, and it absolutely will not stop! Ever. Until you are dead.” Ahsoka sinks into the chair in complete resignation. Will anywhere be safe? Will she not be able to return to her friends? Her brothers? The Jedi Temple? Will she have to spend the rest of her life running with this stranger and a machine trying to track her?

“Can it be stopped? Can you stop it?” She needs to be with her friends, her brothers. They must be so worried unless they’re dead. She has to bury them and pay her respects. They died because a Terminator is after her!

“Maybe,” Kallus replied, as he started sparking the two wires together to get the engine to run. “Your lightsaber or any lightsaber is out of the question. It will take a shit ton of plasma bolts to put it down. With the current weapons in this time… it’s hard to say, Kid.” Ahsoka almost scoffed at Kallus using the same nickname that Rex calls her. She wasn't impressed, he did not have the right to use that nickname. She let it slide for now.

A few metres from them, the Clone still driving the Coruscant Police Speeder, gently glides alongside the landing pad at eye level, where he heard over the comlink of the vehicle containing his target, was the sighted location. Rows of airspeeders lined the landing pad, they were in one of them. Moments later, he hears an engine running, that must be his target. Reaching for the SS-410, he raises the barrel and fires. The bolt hits the front of the airspeeder, leaving behind a scorch mark as the engine comes to life. The driver, the man from the bar, who stopped his kill, reversed the vehicle, the electrogravitic gyro flywheel allowing sharp, abrupt turns without the loss of traction. Increasing the acceleration of his speeder, the Clone, which hid the metal Terminator underneath, gave chase once again. And this time, he won’t fail in killing Ahsoka Tano. She will die.

_ Along the Airlanes… _

Just like earlier, Ahsoka gripped the seat of the airspeeder as Kallus ducked and swerved the air traffic and unhappy flyers. The air is now filled with constant honking. _BANG! BANG!_ A blaster bolt struck the side startling Ahsoka and seeing the scorch marks. The chaser was still on their pursuit, with its mission to kill her. She looked back to see the Terminator dressed in Clone Armour, using a pistol which is normally wielded by a Guardian Droid. The blaster fire continued, other speeders were now swerving themselves to dodge the chaos surrounding them. It is not every day a firefight occurs in public airlanes. Some were unlucky enough to be shot down when their engines were struck. Kallus was not joking, this machine truly has no remorse and he won’t stop until she is dead! The Commander of Phoenix Squadron and Captain of the Resistance, Kallus, knew he had to shake the machine off them and divert its attention away from Tano. It’s a good thing this airspeeder is an open roof. He started moving in his seat and Tano noticed.

“What are you doing!?”,

“Swap with me!” He ordered. Knowing her life is in his hands, Ahsoka didn’t bother questioning. Shakily standing up, Ahsoka leaned over to grab the manoeuvring controls. Kallus carefully stepped into the passenger side, getting down into a kneeling position as he comfortably could, as Tano took the controls. Raising his 8-Gauge, the rebel from the future steadied his breathing, focused on the target. Breathe… fire! He pulled the trigger, the slug flying through the air towards the enemy. It hit the frontal plate of the police speeder, the pursuer remained unfazed and increased the speed. “DRIVE FASTER, TANO!” The XJ-6 was already at its maximum acceleration, focusing on the driving as Kallus fired pellet after pellet. He was so focused on shaking the chaser, he wasn’t listening to Tano. When he finally listened to her, he saw that the path they took was reaching a dead-end and they were going too fast to change direction. “HIT THE BRAKE!” Ahsoka stomped on the brake, causing the speeder to skid. They narrowly dodged the wall, the back of the airspeeder scratching against the wall they could have crashed into. 

Unfortunately, with the sudden braking, they lost elevation and the speeder came down crashing, with them along with it. They braced themselves for the imminent crash landing that would make Anakin proud. The pursuer, on the other hand, continued to approach at his vehicle's current speed and had no time to brake, or even a chance. Their chaser couldn’t brake in time and collided headfirst into the wall, to Ahsoka, no one would be able to survive that, not even a Dowutin. The Police Speeder that was used, was now in flames. In the air, she and Kallus found themselves surrounded by more Coruscant Police Speeders, and a phalanx of Coruscant Guard accompanying them, pointing searchlights at them. The bright lights almost blinded them, causing them to squint until their eyes adjusted.

“Put your hands in the air and do not resist! We will shoot!” Kallus had a different plan, he was going to fight their way out. To him, everyone is a threat to Tano’s life, she can’t trust anyone, not even her friends and comrades. Gripping the AA8, Kallus leaned to hop over until he felt Ahsoka grab his weapon.

“Kallus! Kallus don’t!” She tugged on his shotgun. “They’ll kill you the moment you fire on them!” Weighing his options, there were thirty armed Clones, along with the police… it wasn’t worth the risk. It wasn’t worth putting the life of the one he is meant to protect in further danger. Sighing, he dropped the only weapon he had with enough stopping power. These weapons and the blasters used are no Phased Plasma Rifle in Forty Watt Range. The two of them stepped out.

“On your knees and hands on your head! You are now under arrest and will be taken into Coruscant Police Station. Anything you say or do may harm your defence!” Ahsoka and Kallus complied, getting on their knees and placing their hands behind their heads. Some of the speeders landed, the Guard stepping out, one of which Ahsoka recognised: Commander Fox (CC-1010).

“Commander Tano.” Fox greeted drily, “I didn’t take you to be the type to run off, causing social disruption with older men. Whatever would General Skywalker say to you?” Tano didn’t bother with a response and only rolling her eyes, huffing as the Guard cuffed her and Kallus. “I hope you have a good story to tell about what happened at Seventy-nines.” Fox turned to his men. “Take them away!”

They were marched towards the speeders. This was while two other Clones checked the second vehicle, the stolen Police Speeder for the occupant, but they found no one. Tano and the male are officially suspects, with a possible serious charge of a hit and run felony.

_ Meanwhile, back at Seventy-nines… _

_ Time: 0445 (04:45; Coruscanti Time)… _

( _Scene: Bar, Seventy-nines, Entertainment District, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ ) 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SOMEONE JUST TOOK AHSOKA!?” Anakin roared, near that to a Krayt Dragon and Rex tried his best not to flinch. He has seen his General at his best and worst days, his happy and his angry moments, but it is very rare to ever see Skywalker simmering with undeniable rage. Rex’s helmet was attached to a portable console, he was going to show his General the feed that was recorded in his helmet. “It’s been four weeks since we got her back and now, she’s already gone!” He failed. It is, as it is. He failed his General, he failed his men. Rex looked over sadly at the bodies lined up in sheets, waiting to be burned. Bodies of his brothers and innocent civilians who were unlucky enough to be caught in the crossfire. The Captain was knocked out after being tossed into the shelves, behind the bar counter and by the time he woke up, the chaos ended. There was nothing but an eerie silence, it was just him in the bar surrounded by numerous dead bodies, he managed to find some survivors, badly beaten up and broken bones.

Ridge had his pelvis shattered, it is unknown if it could ever heal. Vaughan’s heart was ripped right out his chest, Tup was found with a blaster hole, then Fives… Fives’ neck was snapped. There were many other Clones from other legions dead, they found Commander Gree’s (CC-1004) body, he was from the 41st Elite. The list could go on and on, they also had civilian casualties. Everyone is asking questions, who killed all the men and the civilians? What was the gain of this massacre? For Anakin and Rex, who took Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano? And why? Why was she taken? Rex plugged his helmet in and found the footage recorded within. Anakin saw the chaos, everyone was panicking and confused as plasma bolts were relentlessly discharged. The camera moved towards where his Padawan was, the Captain was able to spot her. Rex’s hands moved, shoving people, civilians, and Clones alike to get to her.

 _“COMMANDER!”_ They could get a brief look at her kidnapper. Rex’s visual was pure chaos with the sounds of plasma bolts firing in all directions, mixed with the roaring sound of… is that the sound of a firearm!? A real firearm!? Who got their hands on a slugthrower? _“SLEEMO! I WON’T LET YOU TAKE HER! AHSOKA!”_ ,

 _“REX!”_ Tano was calling to him and he failed to reach her in time after that. The footage blacked out due to the impact against the table after he was thrown and knocked out. Anakin made the Captain reverse and pause the footage and see if they could get a closer look at the one who took her. After zooming in and sharpening the image as much as they could, it wasn’t much. They were certainly able to make out it was a male, roughly six feet. Hair colour… blonde? The image was a bit too grainy to make an accurate guess at the hair colour, it doesn’t narrow their target. A six-foot male, with possibly blonde hair. Anakin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Take the time to bury your brothers, Rex. We all lost good men tonight and we’ll go from here to find Ahsoka.” The Captain always respected Skywalker for treating him and his brothers as equals, men, never flesh droids. Like natural borns, they are entitled to mourn for their own. “We will find Ahsoka and we will bring whoever was responsible for this massacre to justice.” Rex snapped to attention and saluted his General.

“Yes sir! Thank you, sir!” Rex decided to bring the bodies back to the barracks and organise a funeral service. Cremate the bodies. Torrent Company… the 501st lost good men to this massacre. The Seventy-nines Massacre and Rex will ensure the killer pays the price, once he finds the Commander’s kidnapper, he will make him sorry for taking her from them. No one messes with aliit.

_ Outside Seventy-nines… _

Captain Rex stepped out of the building, the only Clone bar to exist, which is now in ruins after the shootout that occurred. It resulted in many civilian deaths and injuries, along with fellow Clone Troopers who were off duty and his own men belonging to the 501st. Not to mention, the Commander’s kidnapping. Breathing in the fresh air, Rex vowed he will help General Skywalker sort this mess out, once the cremation of the dead is completed, respects paid, it will be a crackdown time to understand what the Sith Hell was going on. Rex raised his comlink to call for extra transportation to bring the bodies back to the barracks. Just as he was about to call the barracks, something or someone placed their hand around his mouth. His helmet dropped with a clatter, Rex tried to fight back and let out muffled screams in an attempt for someone to hear him and help, but nothing worked. His ambusher was too strong, he couldn’t free himself. The Clone Captain was dragged into the shadows of the alley.

_CRUNCH!_

_ With Ahsoka and Kallus… _

_ Time: 0515 (05:15; Coruscanti Time)… _

_ Days in the Year 980 ARR (20 BBY): 0.9757… _

( _Scene: Interrogation Room, Coruscant Police Station, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

Kallus sat in the chair within the interrogation room handcuffed. He found this ridiculous! That machine is going to track them here and now they are in a vulnerable position! This station is just going to be another massacre zone, just like Seventy-nines. They separated Tano from him, she’s good as dead if he doesn’t get out here! Kallus had planned they would have vanished within the Underworld, leaving no trace, otherwise, he would’ve stolen an unmarked ship and got them off-planet. He has to prepare Tano for what is to come, who she is destined to be: hope. The sword and shield of mankind and alien species, all living things. Without her, all will be lost. He heard the door open, a female Twi’lek wearing what appears to be Jedi robes enter the room. Great, Jedi involvement is all he needs and to make bantha shit complicated. The Twi’lek greeted him with a smile, which he just scowled at in irritation. He has no time to play nice. Kallus has his orders and Tano is his priority, she is not safe with them! Only he can keep her safe. None of them knows what they are dealing with and if they think that machine is some new model of a Separatist battle droid, they will sadly be mistaken. That thing is their end, their doom.

“You are Kallus, am I right? I am Jedi Master Healer Vokara Che and-” Kallus interrupted her,

“You’re here to see if I’m a lunatic. I get why you’re here, now try me! Because I’m perfectly sane!” He snarled,

“From what I can gather,” Vokara started, “You’re a soldier? Fighting for whom?”,

“Captain Kallus, third-in-command of the Machine Resistance and Commanding Officer of Phoenix Squadron. My third-in-command is Captain Hera Syndulla. I worked closely with Lieutenant Kanan Jarrus.” Kallus answered honestly. What else is he supposed to do? Perhaps he can get them all to believe him, Jedi are usually reasonable people. His situation can’t be any weirder than all the weird Force crap they put up with. Some are known to see the future! There’s got to be a chance a Jedi has seen the future to come! A future of an endless war against the machines that want to wipe out all living beings to extinction. “I was put in with command and served with them from 995 ARR to 1004 ARR.” Vokara stared at him with a look of either she doesn’t believe him or quick to judge this individual, who kidnapped Skywalker’s Padawan is crazy.

“995 to 1004 after Ruusan Reformation? You’re speaking of an event you were involved in… eleven years from now?”,

“Yes, I was third-in-command, worked closely with the leader of the Resistance before I was transferred that year.” The Jedi Healer chose her next question carefully.

“Who was your superior?”,

“Her name is General Ahsoka Tano.” He simply answered. Ahsoka Tano, the daughter of Maya Ti, trained and destined to build a resistance to lead the war against Skynet. The finest leader he honourably served by. The one who lit the fires of rebellion in everyone’s hearts. “1004 ARR, we’d won. Took out Skynet’s defensive grid and mainframe. The first time it tried to erase her existence, was an attempt on her mother’s life. It failed, and it had a backup plan: send another machine to kill Tano herself before she could rise as a leader.” Master Healer Che took notes of what Kallus was saying. One part fascinated and the other confused her.

“Can you explain who or what Skynet is?”,

“A secret computer defence system built…” Kallus paused, “For the rise of the Galactic Empire by Cyberdyne Systems. Skynet is a fully automated artificial intelligence, more advanced than what the Separatist Army uses. It was a secret weapon, to be used by the future Galactic Empire; but that never happened. Skynet turned and all hell broke loose after that.”,

“Okay and this… cyborg, a metal man in living tissue is after Padawan Tano?” The last of Kallus’ patience was gone. He needs to get Tano out of here and keep her somewhere safe. They can’t protect her and the Jedi’s fancy lightsaber is barely going to tickle it! Kallus hasn't seen any attempt of the Force being used on the machines. It wouldn't surprise him if the machine sent after Tano knows how to counteract that too. “How did you even get here?”,

“You heard enough. Now decide! Are you going to release me? I need to see Ahsoka Tano!” Master Che sighed. In her mind, she already deemed Kallus unsafe to release into the public and lock him up in Coruscant Asylum for life. Then return Padawan Tano to Skywalker, he’s already worried as it is and on the verge of tearing apart every accessible level of the planet with the 501st to locate her. Speaking of which, she has to contact him to let him know Tano is safe and he can pick her up. “Are you listening to me!? Bitch, you still don’t get it!” The guards began to surround Kallus as he began to get increasingly agitated and Vokara moved away. “He’ll find her! That’s all he does! You can’t stop him, he’ll wade right through you!” Kallus rose partway out of his chair, the glare in his brown eyes increasing in intensity. “Reach down her throat and PULL HER KRIFFING HEART OUT!” The guards held Kallus back, even shocking him with stun batons, which he didn’t react to, most likely due to the adrenaline running through his veins. One of the Coruscant Guard soldiers escorted Master Healer Che out of the room, as the other kept his DC-15S Blaster Carbine trained on him. The Jedi Healer exited the interrogation room, trying to block out the crazed yelling coming from Kallus.

_ Sometime Later… _

_ Time: 0645 (06:45; Coruscanti Time)… _

( _Scene: Lieutenant Tan Divo’s Office, Coruscant Police Station, Upper Levels, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

Ahsoka sat on the couch in the office belonging to Lieutenant Tan Divo. She had a cup of caff in hand, given to her by Master Healer Che before she went inside to speak to Kallus. She’s been in there nearly an hour and a half now. Is Kallus going to even cooperate? Ahsoka doesn’t know how many hours she was stuck with him, from the time he intervened… that Clone… machine from assassinating her in a public bar! She couldn’t help but think of all those who died in Seventy-nines, the Padawan has overheard some of the Coruscant Guard calling it ‘ _The Seventy-nines Massacre_ ’. So many of her brothers are dead, all those off-duty Clones and the civilians who were simply in the way… no… this still can't be happening. Perhaps this is all a bad dream, none of this has happened. It is all a bad, terrible dream. Kallus isn’t real, the Clone trying to kill her isn’t real, none of this real. Ahsoka just wants to return home now and she has already given her statement in a separate room to Kallus. Perhaps Master Che will contact Anakin and Rex. Ahsoka hoped Rex was okay, no doubt having a near-to heart attack and Anakin probably tearing apart the Surface and the Underworld searching for her.

Tano heard the door open, looking up, it was Master Healer Che, accompanied by one of the Coruscant Guard. Has she finished the interrogation already? What is happening now? Can she leave? What are they going to do with Kallus? Are they going to lock him up for life? Kallus does make himself out to be a dangerous person, perhaps dangerous to others, but he has made himself out not to be her enemy. He has saved her, Tano would be already dead if it weren’t for him, but she just can’t get her mind to process everything. Her thoughts are muddled, she can't focus enough to release her emotions into the Force. Everything has happened so fast, how is it her thoughts have not caught up yet? She’s still stuck on the same question: ‘ _Is this all real?_ ’ Vokara took a seat on the couch beside Padawan Tano, who is showing signs of shock and withdrawal. Her poor mind is still processing, she hasn’t realised her caff has gone cold. The Twi’lek gently reached to take the table that was in front of them. The interrogation with Kallus has been recorded on the holo-recorder and saved, she felt uncomfortable at the thought of showing the footage to Ahsoka. Skywalker’s Padawan is already scared enough as it is, she is going to need time away from the frontlines and be scheduled for mind healing sessions, even consider a meditative retreat for a fortnight.

“Master Che… is Kallus crazy?” She questioned, the pace of her speech sounding shaky and unsure. A stark difference to her usual personality, on or off the field, or amongst her friends. Healer Che decided to take the straightforward approach, Tano has matured than her peers because of the war and she has been through. She can handle the blunt approach, as she briefly glanced at her notes on the flimsiplast notepad.

“If you want my honest answer, Padawan Tano… in technological terms, he’s a loon.”,

“He was wearing Clone armour, but he was shot by a slugthrower, and- he punched through the windshield of the speeder without flinching!” Vokara ignored the slugthrower part and focused on the second statement.

“Probably on Deathsticks, broke every bone in his hand and won’t feel it for hours.” Ahsoka gave a look that she was unconvinced, but with her mind all over the place, Vokara decided that Padawan Tano can’t separate reality from fiction due to the shock she endured. The brain is a complex organ and knows how to trick perspective. She knows herself a normal human cannot do what was described by the Clone Trooper. She questioned Commander Fox if he knew one of his men intended to go rogue, attempt an assassination on the Commander of the 501st Legion. Fox is subtly questioning his men about it. “Ahsoka,” Vokara said in a gentle tone, “You’ve had a long, trying night, right into the early hours. Why don’t you get some sleep, while I comm Master Skywalker?” Master Che has a point, Ahsoka is now realising how tired she is, especially with her adrenaline running its course. Anakin will probably be too worried about her to decide a suitable punishment for sneaking out of the Jedi Temple. She just hopes her brothers are okay. Vokara moved off the couch to allow Padawan Tano to lie or curl up into it comfortably. One of the Clones or herself can wake up the Togruta when Skywalker arrives. The Jedi Healer took the cold cup of caff to dump in the kitchen and ensure the obnoxious jerk, Lieutenant Divo does not waltz into his office and wake up Tano. She needs her sleep after her chaotic time with that man Kallus. The thought this Togruta teenager is destined to be a leader in another war that has not yet happened is crazy, absurd in itself, and an unnecessary weight on her shoulders. Tano is sixteen-and-a-half for crying out loud. Master Che left Tano to sleep in the office, closing the door as quietly as she can manage, knowing how sensitive a Togruta’s hearing is.

_ Out in the Main Reception… _

_ Time: 0800 (08:00; Coruscanti Time)… _

Commander Thorn (Designation Number Unknown) was bored out of his mind, layered with a minute level of stress. He has never seen the Coruscant Guard act like a herd of crazy Mesa Goats when Commander Fox was alerted to a hit and run felony. When they managed to corner the out of control driver and his speeder, Thorn was surprised to see Commander Tano. The Togruta is very much famous around the Clones, her tales in battle, how she would protect her men, treat them equally as human beings and not as a subspecies. To her, they are as human as any natural-born in the galaxy. He has heard from patrolling the halls of the Senate Building that Senator Amidala and a few of her allies, consisting of Senator Organa and Mothma, are creating a Clone Rights Bill. It is in its early stages, but to dream of being given the same human rights is a dream come true. Right now, Thorn is busy filling in paperwork that the Police Droids are normally useless at. Out of the corner of his eye, through his visor, he saw Lieutenant Divo exit after pressing the release button, and still being his usual, pompous self. Most people don’t like him. How he managed to reach the rank of Lieutenant in the police is beyond Thorn’s understanding. He ignored him as he left the building. On top of everything else, Commander Fox is under the stress of his own investigations when the bodies of one of their own were found yesterday in the early hours of the morning, zero-six-thirty standard hours. Following that, one of the Riot Trooper patrols arrived back to base carrying one another, with one of them bare naked, missing his blacks and armour. So they figured out where the armour ended up after arresting this Kallus person. A pretty clever move from the perspective of infiltration, he could have gotten information about Commander Tano via their database and the trooper’s credentials. Fox is also and subtly, questioning the entire Coruscant Guard if they planned or were paid to attempt an assassination on Commander Tano. He fears they could have another Slick running around.

When Thorn hoped for a quiet early morning until Skywalker’s bombastic energy comes storming through the doors, some time or any time, the door opened once again. The Commander of the Coruscant Guard internally sighed, tiredly. He looked up, in familiar 501st blue, dressed in what looked to be ARC (Advanced Reconnaissance Commando) Trooper armour, which is signified by the shoulder pauldron and the kama. What is Rex doing here at this hour? Unless he was awake through most of the night when the massacre broke out. Has the Jedi Healer already notified General Skywalker and he sent Captain Rex instead? The Captain was wearing his helmet, Thorn could feel the Jaig Eyes glaring down on him.

“I’m a friend of Ahsoka Tano.” He simply and bluntly said, “I was told that she would be here. Can I see her, please?” Odd, since when does Rex address his Commander informally? Thorn is aware Tano allows her men to address her informally when off duty. Never once has Thorn heard the Captain say her name without her rank. Since when does Rex have a need to state he's a friend? Everyone knows Commander Tano is friends with the 501st Jaig Eyed Captain. Why does Rex sound so… clipped? Stiff even? Thorn wanted to go and get Commander Tano from the office, but she needed some sleep. This crazy Kallus dude had the Commander running around the upper levels of the city and with no surprise, back alleys since midnight! He’s had her running for over five hours without stopping. While Thorn hated lying to a fellow brother, for Tano’s welfare, for the sake of a few much needed hours of sleep, Thorn chose to lie to Rex.

“You can't see her, sir.” Thorn can thank Little Gods they are wearing helmets, so they won’t see each other’s eyes and faces. “She's making a statement.” Rex pressured further.

“Where is she?” Alright, the Guard Commander gets it, Rex is anxious and just wants to see if his superior is alright. Again, Ahsoka needs to catch up on some shut-eye. Surely he can understand that much.

“Look, brother! It’s going to be a while.” He then tilts his head towards the lone bench. “You wanna wait? There’s a bench.” Rex took a step back, looking around and at the barrier screen, as if he is scanning or examining his environment. He faces him again and leans forward, simply saying in what appears to be a threatening tone, but Thorn couldn’t tell with the helmet modulating his voice.

“I’ll be back.” And Rex turned away, leaving the building. Thorn found Rex’s behaviour most peculiar. Is he normally like this? Deciding not to think about it any further, Thorn went back to his paperwork and when ten-hundred hours rolled around, he can have a nap in his bed. Last night was just completely chaotic, so he has more than earned his sleep. Looking down at the application sheet printed on filmsi, the quiet front office was filled with the sound of his pen scratching against the material in his neat handwriting. The silence was music to his ears. After Rex left the building, Thorn was having an odd suspicion in his gut that Rex isn't Rex. Shortly after the Captain left the building, and out of earshot, the Guard Commander reached for his comlink to call Skywalker after putting down his pen. He keyed in the 501st General's frequency and waited for an answer. A few seconds passed, he finally got through to the General.

 _“General Skywalker. What’s the problem?”_ ,

“General Skywalker!” Thorn greeted respectfully. “Commander Thorn here. I was visited by Captain Rex looking to pick up Commander Tano. I was wondering, did you send him?”,

 _“Wait? What!? Commander Thorn, what are you talking about?”_ Strange, Skywalker sounds perplexed. _“I never sent Rex to get Ahsoka. I don’t even know where she is!”_ ,

“General, sir!” Stammered Thorn, “We have Commander Tano here in the police station. Rex came to get-” He stopped mid-sentence. From outside, Thorn heard the familiar ‘ _vroom_ ’ sound of an engine, an engine belonging to a speeder. No… that wasn’t a speeder. Thorn looked up. His last memory was the sight of a medium-sized airbus accelerating right towards him, the metal front of the vehicle smashing into Commander Thorn and his world went black. The Clone Trooper stepped out and walked past the damage he has caused, ignoring the voice coming from the undamaged comlink. Rex absentmindedly stepped on it, crushing the communication device under his armoured boot.

_ In the Back of the Station… _

Alarms blared from within the station, causing all Guardian Droids to jump, arming themselves with their SS-410 Special Blaster Pistols. The Coruscant Guard that accompanied them, readied their blasters, some taking out DC-17 Blaster Pistols, others armed with DC-15S Blaster Carbines, while the rest rushed off to the armoury where they do store a limited number of GAR equipment. Whoever triggered the alarm, the DC-15A Blaster Rifles are needed. Commander Fox, alongside Clone Lieutenant Thire (CC-4477), ordered their men to gear up to fight back against the intruder. Assuming the intruder was an accomplice of the insane prisoner, the Clone keeping watch on the prisoner was ordered to stay in the room and not leave his post. Vokara was being brought to a safer location, while she can fight, she is more of a healer and would be a liability defending the police station. Everyone in the various rooms took their positions as they heard Guardian Police Droids being destroyed, members of the Guard screaming as they were shot dead. _BANG! BANG!_ Fox took cover behind a desk, as he signalled to Thire to lock Commander Tano in Divo’s office. Thire nodded, lifting his rifle, and ran as quietly as he could to 501st Commander’s location. _Thud! Click!_ The intruder was reloading and footsteps were heard. A heavy thud, thud, thud. The sound footsteps of one knowing where they are going and with confidence, direction. A goal. He was coming their way.

The Coruscant Guard was spread out in various areas that provided cover, to surprise and overwhelm the attacker. They would have set their blasters to stun mode, but this aggressor is taking down droids and killing brothers as their screams fill the building. He needs to be put down, even if it means riddling his body with burning and smoking plasma holes. Fox’s squad held position as the Commander himself took cover behind a desk in one of the rooms. He just hopes Thire has reached Tano. Commander Stone (CC-5869) leaned out, his DC-15S pointed outwards. Then he appeared, walking towards them from the corner. It was Captain Rex of the 501st Legion, his armour… his body… it was filled with… with plasma holes. Stone couldn’t comprehend what he was seeing through his HUD. How is Rex still alive!? Parallel to Stone were Trooper Rys (Designation Number Unknown) and Jek (Designation Number Unknown) and other members of the Guard, some being Shock and/or Riot Troopers. Rex was dual-wielding two different blasters. One was identified as a GLX Firelance and the other was a Scatter Gun. His dual DC-17 Blaster Pistols were attached to his waist. Underneath his helmet, Rys’ jaw dropped at the sight of the Captain’s state. He shouldn’t be alive, the 501st Captain is more than dead!

“By the Little Gods!” Rys muttered under his breath. There was no command given, there wasn’t a point. One of the troops began firing and the others followed suit. A barrage of blue plasma bolts fired at Rex as he marched towards them, the plasma burning through the ARC Trooper armour and some unable to penetrate the pauldron on his right shoulder and the kama sitting on his waist. What was surprising them all, he wasn’t going down! Rex raised his scatter gun, pointing the barrel to the Clones on the right, and the GLX Firelanace to the left-hand side. His index fingers pressed the triggers inwards with no hesitation. Both weapons discharged, hitting their mark. Rys and Jek were first to fall, followed by Stone and his comrades.

_ Inside Tan Divo’s Office… _

Ahsoka was long awoken from her sleep. She was jolted after hearing the sounds of a crash, maybe some kind of vehicle colliding into the building. To her mind, she hoped it was a civilian whose speeder went out of control. That answer wasn’t the case when one of the guards burst into the office. The Togruta could tell by his markings, it was Lieutenant Thire. What was happening outside? The question was answered when the building erupted into a firefight outside, blasters discharging, droids being destroyed and Clones screaming as they fell. Chaotic orders were being yelled out. One thing came to her mind… it is back! It found them! Thire noticed the Commander was on the verge of a panic attack, he knows the signs when he sees a panic attack. He’s no stranger to them. Thire closed the door and locked it from the inside, then turned to Commander Tano.

“Commander Tano,” He adjusted his grip on his DC-15A. “Don’t worry. You are in capable hands. I assure you, no harm will come to you. Just stay in the room! Do not leave!” Ahsoka wordlessly watched as Thire headed for the interconnecting door, opening it and locking it from the outside. She was locked inside.

_ Back to the Coruscant Guard… _

Commander Fox was sitting behind his cover which was a random desk. His DC-17 Blaster Pistol was poised, ready to be aimed. He heard the screams and cries of his brothers who have fallen to the attacker, Stone’s screams of pain never leaving his mind. Fox looked over to another of his squad, he was trying to calm his breathing. Clones have been created to withstand all forms of stress, but not this kind. It turns out as the war carried on… they are not impervious to stress. They can break down, they can suffer from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. The fear of terror this attacker has wrought is a fear none of them have ever felt in their lives. The sounds of the blasters stopped, the footsteps stopped. He is standing outside the door. Without Fox’s word, the trooper stood up from his cover and fired, yelling out, only to be quickly dealt with. The trooper’s head was completely blown off and Fox and whatever surviving brothers who were with him tried not to gag at the gory sight, the blood pooling out of the neck; where his brother’s head once was. Clenching his fist, Fox took a stand, raising his Commando Pistol. To his shock, through his HUD, he was facing Captain Rex, who was worse for wear. Fox didn’t understand how he was still standing!

He’s the one attacking the building!? Without thinking too much more about it, Rex is now an aruetii of the Galactic Republic and an aru’e. Fox and his men began to fire upon Rex, who raised his weapons and fired on them. Fox took a hit to his shoulder, but it didn’t put him down, while his brothers fell one by one. The fellow Guard Commander was able to get a hit on Rex, right in the helmet, blasting a piece off. It only caused the Captain to stagger, but not enough to kill him. He raised the scatter gun, fired and one of the solid lead slugs hit home, right in the centre of Fox’s head, more like blowing it clean off, much like the other trooper, and he collapsed lifelessly, his pistol clattering out of his limp hand onto the floor.

_ With Kallus… _

Kallus heard the chaos outside the interrogation room. The Terminator is here! Ahsoka is vulnerable. The Clone guarding him was by the door, most likely set his HUD to infrared mode to read the heat signatures. The poor soul will be in for a shock that the Terminator doesn’t give off body heat. The endoskeleton is cold, just like the Terminator when it is given a mission. Although… the organic flesh will give off body heat to confuse the person, being that the outside is living tissue. First things first, he needs to find Tano before the machine finds her and finishes the job. If it does… the Resistance will never be born and all life is doomed. That’s a future he cannot allow to happen and he is willing to make sacrifices to ensure that the future will not come to fruition. The machines will not win! While the Clone was distracted, Kallus carefully got up from his seat, before shoulder charging into the trooper. The Clone’s entire body smacked into the wall, he let out a sharp grunt, before being immobilised after being given a knee into his stomach. The Clone Trooper slumped to the floor. Satisfied the soldier was out cold, Kallus didn’t bother reaching for the key attached to the Clone’s waist, instead, with what appears to be impossible, he broke free of the handcuffs with brute force. The handcuffs snapped cleanly in half and he ripped the cuffs around his wrists off. Knowing there is no time to arm himself with a new weapon, Kallus opened the door and left the room, hoping he would reach Tano before the machine. At the same time, the lights went and the emergency lighting came on. The Terminator took out the main electricity source.

_ Meanwhile, with Ahsoka… _

Ahsoka was pacing the office, she was scared. While it is ironic to feel this way, she has been in many terrifying situations and she always persevered through them. The Commander of the 501st rose above those fears. However… this was against an enemy she knew: the Separatists. What she was facing… is an unknown enemy. An enemy that she seemingly doesn’t face till years later, going by what Kallus has told her. An enemy who will not stop until she is dead. The Togruta Padawan jumped when she heard the lights go out. The main power is gone. Then her sensitive hearing was picking up footsteps, someone was approaching the room. _Thud. Thud. Thud._ Panic seeped into every bone of her body, Tano quickly scanned the room, to find someplace to hide. Her lightsabers and comlink were confiscated after being brought into the building. She was defenceless, not like she would ever stand a chance against a machine that lined head to toe with a layer of Cortosis.

There was only one hiding spot and that was the space under Tan Divo’s desk. It was ridiculous that at sixteen and a half, she has to hide, but this machine that is after her warrants enough reasons to hide. Without Kallus, her chances of surviving are practically up to luck itself or near zero. Ahsoka dived for the desk, slinking underneath it, trying to control her breathing to keep sound to a minimum. She took a chance, peeking out from the desk, only to quickly retreat back in when she caught a shadow. It was the silhouette of a man. Was that the Terminator? Did it spot her? She’s a sitting Mesa Goat in this room. Oh, the irony of the hunter becoming the hunted. Ahsoka has become the prey. For a moment, it seemed to Ahsoka her hunter walked past the room none the wiser to her presence in the room. Then the doorknob shook, the machine realising it was locked. She kept her hand covering her mouth to prevent any sound coming from her. Without warning, she heard glass breaking, which quickened her heart rate to a pace that would worry Kix. The door clicked, it was unlocked and Ahsoka was trapped. She had nowhere to run. The Commander heard the footsteps. Will it find her? A voice spoke in a low, whisper, like a hiss to prevent being heard.

“Ahsoka!” Kallus!? “Ahsoka!” It was Kallus! Tano knew it was safe enough to leave her hiding spot. She emerged from underneath the desk.

“Kallus!” She watched Kallus turn around, his brown eyes gazing into her ocean blue in relief. More like relief that she is alive. The hallway outside was on fire, meaning the main power source or the generator must have been fried and the loose wires sparked and caught onto flammable material. Knowing and accepting at this stage she will be safer with Kallus, he took her by the hand, stopping momentarily to make sure the coast was clear and they took a right turn out of the office.

Ahsoka and Kallus ran down the burning hallway, seeking the quickest way to escape. They both kept their heads down, eyes forward and their torsos leaned forward in case they needed to dive. After running through interconnecting rooms and offices to avoid the fire that was quickly spreading, as well as hoping not to run into Ahsoka’s assassin, they finally made it to the exit. Kallus stood to his full height and kicked the door open. The two of them bolted for the nearest escape vehicle, which happened to be a Rapid Response Police Speeder. Ahsoka recognised it knowing Master Tera Sinube borrowed one when her lightsaber was stolen by a pickpocketer. Thankfully, these speeders didn’t require any key to insert etcetera. Just switch on a button to turn on the engine. Kallus took the driver’s seat, while Tano was able to sit comfortably behind him and keep a firm grip on his shoulders.

As Kallus turned on the engine of the speeder, the door a few metres from them burst open, flying off the hinges, prompting Ahsoka to look back. Much to her horror, it was the Terminator now wearing Rex’s armour, littered with cooled plasma holes. She could just make out the Jaig Eyes on the half-shattered Phase Two Clone helmet. Tears welled up in her eyes.

“No! Not you too!” She whispered as the scatter gun was aimed at her. Her best friend and an older brother was dead. Her brother in arms. The last image that burned into her mind as she gazed at his face, was an angry red eye that was not natural, but one belonging to a machine. Her protector was right, they are real. The machines are real, he was never crazy or a liar. The resistance soldier was telling her the truth all along.

Kallus hit the accelerator just as the scatter gun discharged, missing Ahsoka by mere inches. The two sped away from the Terminator wearing a dead Clone’s armour and the burning Coruscant Police Station. Their lives were still intact.

_ Sometime Later… _

_ Time: 1135 (11:35; Coruscanti Time)… _

( _Scene: Level Thirteen-Thirteen [1313], Lower Levels, The Underworld, Coruscant, Core Region_ )

Kallus brought the speeder down to the landing dock, parking it and allowing Ahsoka to jump off. It probably means they are abandoning this vehicle as well. It seems like they can’t stick to one vehicle, otherwise, it will make them easy to spot. Switching vehicles most likely will help to confuse their pursuer. The Togruta noticed the resistance soldier take out a piece of filmsi from his pocket. Written on it was numbers… not just any numbers… they look like coordinates and it was oddly written in… is that her handwriting!? Staying close to him, Kallus found a console nearby with a map of Level Thirteen-Thirteen, probably the worst level they could hide within, but their best chances of staying hidden from the machine. A part of her felt numb, Tano was angry that it killed Rex, she wanted to avenge Rex, which is not the Jedi way; but… it has taken so many of her friends in the span of… was it a day already? Time just blurred before her. Time means nothing when you’re trying to stay alive. A few minutes later, Kallus was finished with the console and walked away from it. He gave the gesture to follow her and so Ahsoka followed.

The two of them walked in silence, now being further away from the central, populated area, towards what seems to be the warehouse district. Why did the coordinates on the flimsi bring them here? They spent another fifteen minutes walking past the various warehouses, before stopping in front of one. This is where the coordinates sent them? Police tape covered the doors and windows, warning off trespassers from entering. Kallus examined the building, before smirking to himself. Checking their surroundings first, to ensure no one was watching them, he ripped off the tape from the door and proceeded to kick it down. After the third kick, the door gave way and opened, thankfully not being thrown off the hinges. The older man entered first to ensure it was safe, when he was satisfied, he gave the signal to her to enter as well. Ahsoka stepped in, the warehouse wasn’t large, more like a medium-sized storage facility. Something began nudging Ahsoka, why does she feel an old Force presence here? Why does the lingering signature feel like… her’s? It was intermingled with another presence she couldn’t place. Was she… in this building before? When she was young? Memories of her youth are hazy. While Kallus busied himself looking around the storage facility, seemingly looking for something, Ahsoka finally decided to meditate on the old, lingering signatures in this building. Taking a place by the pillar, the Padawan sat cross-legged, closed her eyes, and reached out through the Force, grasping onto those age-old signatures. As she delved further into the Force, Ahsoka began hearing sounds… voices? Yes, they were voices. She heard…a woman, she was… singing? It sounded like a lullaby being sung in Toguti. That must mean the woman singing is a Togruta, but who is she? Ahsoka’s curiosity grew more, so she delved further, hearing the rest of the lullaby. It oddly sounded familiar to her, it was the lullaby Master Ti sung to her when she struggled to sleep and settle in the crèche. That woman… is the Force telling her that Togruta singing to her is her mother!? Master Shaak Ti is her mother!? Why was this kept from her? Next, she heard voices, a baby, her as a baby? It must be likely. That must be her Force signature when she was an infant, a toddler. She heard her mother’s voice.

 ** _“Little Akul… sometimes I wish your father was here to see you.”_** Ahsoka knows nothing about her father, let alone her mother. Albeit… she’s ruling out Master Ti being her mother, the woman’s voice she is hearing doesn’t sound like her. So it’s another person. Who is she? Who was her father? **_“The future is set for you. It’s not right. It’s unfair, a heavy burden to place on your shoulders. To lead others to war, to face an enemy you are yet to face.”_** She’s… referring to the machines. **_“Yet… the future’s not set in stone. Always in motion, as the Jedi claim. This does not- I won’t let this be your future. I will stop this and you shall grow up a normal childhood, Ahsoka. My Little Akul.”_** The next few words surprised Ahsoka, she wasn’t speaking in Basic or Togruti. She began to speak… **_“Ni kar'taylir darasuum gar, ner adiik.”_** That was Mando’a. Where did she learn to speak Mando’a? And she said her name, so this unnamed Togruta is her mother. Ahsoka was disturbed from her meditation when she felt someone tapping her shoulder. Opening her eyes after pulling out of her connection with the Force, Ahsoka was staring up at Kallus.

“Come on, Kid.” He urged, “I’ve found something. You should have a look.” Standing up, the young Padawan followed Kallus to… wherever in this warehouse he was leading her to. They entered another room. As Kallus led her, Ahsoka eyed something on her protector’s left arm. His left arm has a burn wound!

“Kallus! You’re wounded!” She exclaimed, prompting Kallus to look at his arm. He saw the burn wound, red, angry and swollen, with a part of the sleeve burned away on his blacks, which the Clones let him wear after being stripped of the armour. Oh, the machine must have gotten lucky during the chase. “Please tell me that with whatever you found, there are medical supplies!” Kallus began to chuckle a bit at the youngster, his future General.

“Well, would you look at that! One day and you’re already worrying for me, kiddo.” Tano just rolled her eyes, not appreciating the time for slagging. Kallus then stopped and removed a rug that was lying over something. Underneath the rug was a trap door. Why was there a trap door in this building? Why did the police corner off this building? Was someone here before them? Ahsoka put two and two together. She and the unknown Togruta female were here! Did they live here? Were they homeless? What happened to her mother that she ended up with the Jedi? The door was locked by a password, which Kallus knelt down and typed something into the keypad. The small light at the side went green, meaning the password was accepted, the trap door hissed open, raising automatically. This was probably some kind of bunker! They walked down the steps, the door began to close, locking them in, the lights turned on. They walked down a short corridor, inside was a room full of supplies on one side and a bunk bed on the other. This is either an underground bunker or some secret hideout. Ahsoka scanned the shelves and shortly found what she was looking for: the first-aid kit. Thank the Force, after much nagging, Kix taught Ahsoka a few things about field medicine and first-aid.

She made Kallus sit on the lower bunk, which he didn’t try to challenge her about. Placing the first-aid kit on the table, Ahsoka went through the inventory, spotting the antiseptic wipes to clean and disinfect the wound. She was muttering under her breath, something that she was surprised he didn’t feel any pain from the burn wound, which looks like a second-degree burn. It must have been the adrenaline, sometimes adrenaline blocks out or overrides pain. Ahsoka took the scissors, cutting away the fabric around his arm, surrounding the wound that would make the cleaning difficult. Once the pieces of the black sleeve were out of the way, Ahsoka caught the antiseptic wipe packaging and tore it open. Removing the wipe, Ahsoka hovered it over the wound.

“This might sting a little.” The Commander gently jabbed at the wound. Kallus didn’t make any movement, let alone flinch, but he was starting to get a little worried. What if the blaster bolt… Ahsoka jabbed the wound and cleaned some of the dirt off it, only to see… what she expected from a normal human was wounded tissue, flesh. Ahsoka was not expecting to see… dark-grey metal. She dropped the antiseptic wipe, leaping away from Kallus with fear in her eyes as she crashed into the table and the contents rattled behind her. Kallus saw her fear, and he needed to calm Ahsoka down. He raised his hand, in an effort or gesture to tell her to stay calm. “Y- you- you’re… you’re one of them!?”

_To Be Continued…_

* * *

Mando’a Translations: 

Vod: Brother/Sister/Comrade

Vod’ika: Little Brother/Sister

Shebs: Ass/Backside

Di’kut: Idiot/A Waste of Space (Literally: Someone who forgets to put their pants on)

Ne’johaa: Shut up

Kar’taylir darasuum gar, vod: Love you, brother

Aliit: Family (Clan)

Aruetii: Traitor/Foreigner/Outsider

Aru’e: Enemy (Noun)

Ni kar'taylir darasuum gar, ner adiik: I love you, my child

**Author's Note:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed the one-shot. There will be a follow-on to this. This is the first one-shot in the 'For Tomorrow' Trilogy. I dunno when I'll start the second one, I have another WIP in mind, so that is unknown.
> 
> Once more, thanks again to my Beta Reader/Tumblr mutual SWGoji2001. Without them, I wouldn't have gotten the suspense building right at all and other little niches. So do check out their stories. Great reads.
> 
> You know where the comment box is, if you wish to leave your thoughts. Again, I'm not one for asking for comments. Even seeing a kudo lights up my day.
> 
> Until next time. May the Force be with you, always! :)


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